Per the NHS: antidepressants take 1 to 2 weeks for the first effect and up to 8 weeks for full benefit, and side effects often show up days before the mood lift, which is the trap that makes people quit early.
The improvement order is usually sleep and appetite first, then energy, then concentration, then mood itself, sometimes noticed by others before you feel it. The rules: daily dosing at a consistent time, a full 4 to 6 week trial before judging the dose, and never an abrupt stop, since discontinuation symptoms (dizziness, zaps, flu-like feelings, mood crash) are common and tapering avoids them. Expect check-ins every 1 to 2 weeks early on. Two safety points: under-25s can get a short-term rise in suicidal thoughts at the start, so report any dark turn immediately, and a failed 6-week trial is information, not a verdict, since switching or augmenting helps most initial non-responders. Once well, plan on at least 6 more months on the medication to protect against relapse.
What to do
Common questions
How long do antidepressants take to work?
The NHS timeline: antidepressants usually take 1 to 2 weeks to start having an effect, and up to 8 weeks to work fully. The frustrating part is the sequence: side effects (nausea, jitteriness, sleep changes) often arrive in the first few days, while the mood benefit lags weeks behind, which is exactly why so many people quit at the worst moment. What the first weeks actually look like: sleep and appetite often normalize first, then energy, then concentration, and mood itself lifts last, sometimes so gradually that other people notice before you do. The rules that make them work: take it daily at the same time, give the current dose the full 4 to 6 weeks before judging it (dose adjustments are normal, not failure), and never stop abruptly, because discontinuation symptoms (dizziness, electric-zap sensations, flu-like feelings, mood crash) are common and miserable, and tapers exist for that reason. The follow-up schedule the NHS describes: check-ins every 1 to 2 weeks at the start, then spacing out once stable. Two safety notes that matter: people under 25 can get a short-term increase in suicidal thoughts when starting, which is why those early check-ins exist, so report any dark turn immediately; and "it did nothing after 6 weeks at a proper dose" is useful data, not a dead end, because switching molecules or augmenting works for most initial non-responders. Once well, expect to stay on it at least 6 months past remission to cut relapse risk.